Description

Comfort as modern as this morning’s news and the power from our High Output Twin Cam 103™ engine, but the look still blazes straight from this machine’s authentic dresser past.

Overview

This is too good to consign to history: The Heritage Softail® Classic drips with the nostalgia of days gone by, but that’s only half of the equation for the rider of today. The hidden suspension gives you the authentic look without the bone-shaking ride of an old Hardtail. You get the comfort of cruise control for those long stretches of pavement. A redesigned seat and redesigned leather saddlebags. And best of all, a new High-Output Twin Cam 103™ engine. We’re not about to re-invent this look. But we never stop re-inventing the ride.

Authentic Styling: Get an eyeful of a Softail motorcycle and you see more than some weepy-eyed exercise in nostalgia. You’re looking at the kind of style that has the power to defy time. Honest. Uncluttered. Unaffected by the fad of the moment. There’s a good reason for this. We’ve used our long decades on the road, riding, wrenching, talking to other custom bike fanatics, to discover what works. Then we stick with it, and use it to push the boundaries of motorcycle design ever further. Take a look at the horseshoe oil tank adorning our Softail models. It’s the same one you’d see on a restored dresser from the ‘50s, or a radical Panhead chopper from the ‘70s. And you’ll find it right now on future Harley-Davidson models that still on the drawing board. Other companies may be content to imitate bits and pieces from our long history. On a Softail motorcycle every part down to the axle nut cover comes from an authentic tradition. With a genuine reason for looking the way it looks.

Iconic Engine: The air-cooled 45° V-Twin engine at the heart of every Softail model is a prime example of what makes a Harley-Davidson motorcycle more satisfying than anything else. Its clean, uncluttered shape fits perfectly in the downtubes of the frame. Twist the throttle and the surge of torque hits you exactly where it counts. The knowledge of what makes an engine truly move a rider runs deep at The Motor Company, and it’s been put to particular good use to power the Softail family. We counterbalance the engine, which means we can bolt it directly to the frame. It keeps the styling tight at the center of the bike. It lets the rider feel the pulse of the V-Twin. Yet there aren’t any vibrations rattling the fillings out of your teeth. What’s good gets even better for 2016. The Softail family gets a power upgrade to the new High Output Twin Cam 103™ engine. More power is always a Harley-Davidson tradition.

Technology: The beauty of the technology on a Softail motorcycle is that it never looks technological. That didn’t happen by accident and it doesn’t come easy, particularly when you consider that the inspiration for the family is the clean, wide-open lines of a vintage hardtail. Clutter it up with too many high tech doo-dads and you have a different machine entirely. Take a look at the anti-lock brakes now standard on many Softail models and available across the line. ABS gives you the control you want on a modern motorcycle. But our teams of industrial designers and engineers weren’t finished until the whole system had a streamlined design. The same goes for the clean look to the handlebars, thanks to a new electronic throttle system on every Softail model. With each passing year, adding a little technology to the ride looks better and better.

Handling: If you’ve never experienced a Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycle, it’s time to find out what you’ve been missing. The venerable Softail frame has logged untold millions of miles, and we’ve put every one of them to good use. The result: one of the most fun rides in all of motorcycling. We’ve spent the years making the frame stiffer, the geometry more balanced and the braking more precise. The dazzling wheels are wrapped in premium Dunlop rubber. The low seats give you a confident feeling of being a part of the motorcycle. Get out on a rolling stretch of backcountry highway and it all comes together. The crisp and responsive ride. The killer looks. As long as we build motorcycles like this having a good time will never go out of style.

Comfort: The authentic look of a Softail motorcycle comes from the days before anyone knew much about building a suspension. The rigid hardtail frames of yesteryear had a pure, uncluttered look that riders still love. But the bone-rattling ride meant your grandpa needed to strap on a kidney belt to keep his internals intact. The Softail family uses modern technology to consign the kidney belt to the museum. We've kept all the modern comforts where they belong—below the surface of a rad bike loaded with authentic style. You get the classic lines of a vintage "hardtail" frame with the horizontal rear shocks hidden in the guts. It's a signature rigid look, and you'll only find it on a Softail model.

Authentic Styling

Old-School Tank and New 3-D Medallion: The unique medallion on the Heritage Softail Classic motorcycle is glass-inlayed, cloisonné-and-chrome style and shows that Harley-Davidson Softail model heritage that runs in your blood. With a five-gallon capacity for long weekend cruising, we top off this tank with a nostalgic chrome “cats-eye” console, paint for days and style to spare.

Nostalgic Custom Style: Do laced wheels, whitewalls and studded leather add to the way a bike feels on the road? Of course they do. That’s what makes for the quintessential boulevard cruiser. As rallies were gaining traction in the '40s, you'd roll into Daytona Bike Week to see and be seen. There was really something going on, and it lives on in this bike. You see modern and nostalgic brought together like nowhere else, including a cleaner look to the studded seat, seat, tank trim, backrest, and saddlebags, along with dazzling new red starburst inserts. The saddlebags also get new sag-preventing interior supports. And let's talk wheels. You can go with the standard steel-laced wheels on blackwalls with a chrome hub. Or turn the clock all the way back with the optional chrome laces and wide whitewalls.

Hidden Rear Shocks: If you want a comfortable bike but love that rigid-suspension look, you've come to the right bike. We've kept all the modern comforts where they belong—below the surface of a rad, vintage-looking bike. You get the classic lines of a vintage "hardtail" frame with the horizontal rear shocks hidden in the guts. It's a signature rigid look, and you'll only find it on a Softail® model.

Tank-Mounted Console: The speedometer face boasts a big, bold display for the odometer, along with an ancillary display for gear and rpm, offering up the information you need on the fly.

New Interior Saddlebag Support: Genuine leather saddlebags are a key visual cue to the nostalgic Dresser roots of the Heritage Softail® Classic motorcycle, and we loaded them up with custom detail to make sure no one misses the point. We gave them rigid interior supports to keep it all looking trim and tight when you’re motoring down the road.

Iconic Engine

New High Output Twin Cam 103B™ Engine Heritage: The knowledge of what makes an engine truly move a rider runs deep at The Motor Company, and it was put to good use when we created the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine. We sweated bullets perfecting every cubic inch, pushing design and technology forward. And we did it all without compromising one bit of Harley-Davidson's unique styling. Evolved, yet carrying on the legacy of the Flathead, Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evolution® and Twin Cam 88® and Twin Cam 96® engines that came before. The performance and durability are a direct result of the untold miles logged on the V-Twin since 1909 and the proud heritage that comes from a century's worth of commitment to life on two wheels.

New High Output Twin Cam 103B™ Engine Innovation: Fire up the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine and feel the low-end torque unleashed. Thanks to the lightweight piston design, delivery of the added power is more refined than ever. Then put your foot on the shifter and feel how the engine and Six-Speed Cruise Drive® transmission were designed to work together. Six speeds. A strong driveline and strong internal parts. Low routine maintenance. And a low cruising rpm that couldn't feel better.

New High Output Twin Cam 103B™ Engine Power: Asking riders if they’d like more power is like asking them “Would you like more beer in the pitcher?” when they've reached the end of a long day tearing up the roads. Everybody wants it, and the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine is 103 cubic inches of Harley-Davidson V-Twin you can rely on to deliver it. The airbox increases intake airflow and the cam optimizes phase and duration. The result: better low-end torque and faster 60 to 80 mph 5th gear roll-on to get you around that 18-wheeler. In other words, it gets you motivated in a hurry. In the tradition of the legendary Harley iron that came before it, the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine is once again raising the bar for the feeling an engine delivers to the rider. There’s a reason we’re called the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Once you send some fuel to this engine, you’ll have no doubt whose it is.

Six-Speed Cruise Drive® Transmission: You want a ride that rumbles—not begs for mercy—when you lean on it a little. The Six-Speed Cruise Drive® transmission provides smooth, quiet shifting and reduces engine speed on the highway, so you get a better match between engine turnover and road speed. It's a rare ride when a bike responds like this, and a low growl goes a long way when you're opening up the road ahead.

Pure Harley-Davidson Styling: Feast your eyes on the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine and there's no mistaking its roots. This is authentic Harley-Davidson style through and through with an attention to detail you won't find from any other motorcycle company. Black powder-coated heads and cylinders are highlighted by machined cooling fin tips and chrome rocker covers. It's a jewel machined out of metal. Pure. Dripping with power. From the classic edge of the cooling fins to the clean lines of cases and covers—the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine makes an ironclad statement about holding on to what's right and staying true to what satisfies.

Technology

Standard Anti-Lock Brakes: When it comes to the Heritage Softail® Classic model with ABS, "stopping power" has a double meaning. The components of our ABS are tastefully stylized within the wheel hub, so you'll still turn heads with clean, streamlined design. More importantly, though, you get certainty in the saddle knowing your bike's going to behave when you need it.

H-D® Smart Security System (Optional): The factory-installed next-generation security system features a hands-free fob that automatically arms and disarms the vehicle's electronic security functions as you approach and walk away from the bike. Stick the fob on your ignition key ring and let it do all the work. It's this attention to detail and security that make Harley-Davidson® motorcycles unique.

Handling

Front Brake System: The front brake system on the Softail® models this year delivers a 40 percent reduction in the amount of lever force required at peak braking. The handlebar master and front cylinders have been restyled. There's a new 4-piston fixed caliper with 32 and 34 mm pistons, premium caliper piston coating to minimize initial displacement and a larger 300 mm rotor. It all adds up to more stopping power with less effort.

New Electronic Throttle Control and Cruise Control: The minimalist styling of the Heritage Softail® Classic motorcycle gets even cleaner with the addition of standard electronic throttle control. Take a look. There’s no cable cluttering up the handlebars. Cruise control is also included, standard. The switches are placed where you can easily dial in your speed with your left thumb. That’s all it takes to give your wrist a break and keep on hauling down the road.

Dunlop® Tires: Whether you're crossing state lines or staying within city limits, you want a confident feeling of sure contact with the road. The front end holds a premium touring tire with a three-ply polyester casing and two fiberglass belts. The back cruiser tire has an advanced tread pattern. Made from a specifically formulated compound, it delivers outstanding grip in wet or dry weather. And since they're from Dunlop®, you know you're wrapping your premium rollers in quality rubber.

New Ergonomically Designed Hand Controls: When you've put as many miles as we have in the saddle, you get a strong feel for what’s right and wrong on a motorcycle. Even the smallest annoyances start to add up with each passing mile, and that’s especially true of the way the handlebar feels in your grip. So we worked over the hand controls with as much passion as we worked over the engine powering the Heritage Softail® Classic motorcycle. The shapes feel good, and are angled to fall right under your thumbs. It’s just one more way each new mile feels even better than the ones that came before.

Comfort

Convertible Two-Piece Seat: Hit the boulevard in style with the classic Softail® two-up seat. It's comfort for you or two. A bigger passenger seat and contour backrest to keep your passenger as comfortable as you. The classic, old-school styling includes a studded seat valance that matches your bags, and the seat pillion is removable. Just ditch it for stripped-back, solo profiling. Or leave it on and bring your better half along for the ride.

Tall Handlebar: Classic style and maximum comfort. That's the perfect balance of the tall handlebars that come standard on the Heritage Softail® Classic model. They're designed to keep you comfortably propped in a commanding position while making sure your neck muscles stay calm and relaxed mile after mile, state after state. Durable stainless steel ensures the structural rigidity you expect from Harley-Davidson with the deep, lustrous finish you demand.

H-D® Detachables™ Windshield: Go from touring to cruising in a heartbeat. Leave the screen on for a clean envelope of air over the long haul. Or remove it in seconds for a completely new look and ride. The polycarbonate windshield is tough as they come—durable, scratch resistant, low maintenance. And whether you choose to cruise or keep the shield on, your Heritage Softail® Classic model rules with a nostalgic style and versatility you can make your own.

Full-Length Rider Footboards: Your boots were made for riding, in any way you see fit. Our full-length footboards boast a tried and true design that's stood the test of time. Plenty of foot positions for your taste and comfort. Rubber vibration isolation for a comfortable ride. And heel-toe shifting for confident shifting every time. It takes a few rides, but once you've gotten used to the smooth heel-toe rhythm, you'll never give it up. The toes of your boots won't take the same beating, either.

Recommended 91 octane or higher fuel (R+M)/2.
Fuel Economy estimated from fuel economy tests on a sample motorcycle from the corresponding family conducted by Harley-Davidson under ideal laboratory conditions. Not all motorcycle models undergo fuel economy testing. Fuel economy and mileage may vary among motorcycle models within a family. Your mileage may vary depending on your personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition and vehicle configuration and other conditions. Break-in mileage may vary.
Engine torque values shown are nominal. Performance may vary by country and region.
Standard and optional fuel systems may vary by country. Standard and optional wheels may vary by country and region. North America security system includes immobilizer; outside North America the security system includes immobilizer and siren.
Seat Height measurement reflects 180 lb. (81.7 kg) operator weight.